The Choice

Choice Made

As Peggy stumbles through her door, a light flips on down the hall. She squints then and notices a form stepping closer. Steve appears from afar with a pair of his own squinting eyes, his focus on the tipsy woman in front of him.

"Peggy?" He calls out. Rogers steps forward to reach out and help her balance as she walks, but she all but refuses. "Peg, where were you? Are you- are you drunk?" He asks, having got a whiff of the whiskey on her.

"What? No. I was out with a friend." Peggy flops on the couch nearby, her back hitting the flowered cushions with a light plop. Steve sits next to her then, his posture relaxing. He smiles and  flirtatiously takes her hand before kissing it, happy that she had returned. She looks over at him and squints, moving her hand away.

"You're not Daniel." She slurs. At the man's name Steve furrows his brow.

"Daniel? Who's that?"

Again, Carter laughs as adoration takes over. "My fiancé, obviously. Who else would he be?"

Steve eye brows rise to an extreme level at this new information. When did Peggy get engaged? Sure Rogers knew she loved someone after he crashed in the plane, but he didn't know they were still together. Let alone what his name was or that they were engaged!

 Steve sits back, eyes widen from shock, as the racing thoughts swirl in his mind. Such a small statement had much larger impact than the brunette expected. Rogers takes a deep breath, tampering down his internal panic, before opening his mouth to speak again, only to see Peggy passes out on the couch.  Now he's sure he won't be getting any answers tonight on the subject.

With a frustrated sigh, Steve stands and walks out the door, his hands brushing through his blonde frizzled hair. He's angry and shocked. What could he do? But he soon enough realized there was nothing he could possibly do. Peggy was still with the man she had met after Steve had went down in the plane. Now she says they're engaged. 

This is far from what Steve had expected when he returned to the 40's...

~~~

The next morning when Peggy wakes, she is met with a pounding headache. She takes in her surroundings before remembering the previous night.  Her first memory is talking to Angie and realizing she needed to speak with Daniel. Peggy hardly realizes Steve is gone and goes to get ready for work. When she arrives at the office she notices something odd, Daniel wasn't there. Concerned, Peggy goes to speak to Rose and is informed he's taking the day off. 

Well if he wasn't going to come to her, she would have to go to him... 

Peggy leaves the SSR office then and drives to the familiar direction of Daniel's house. It doesn't take her long to arrive, and when she gets there her knock is answered within a minute. As the door opens, Daniel is revealed. He's in boxers, no prosthetic, and a white t-shit, holding onto the door fame with a shocked expression.

"Peg? What are you doing-" She cuts him off and leans forward, crashing her lips with his. He's shocked but leans in and holds her for closeness and balance. Peggy smiles before pulling away and helps him to the couch, her arm bracing his back as his is flung over her shoulder.

"Not that I'm complaining but what was that for?"

Peggy chuckles before reaching over and holding his hand in hers, intertwining their fingers.
"Well I've had a.. .revelation of sorts."

"A revelation?" He parrots and she nods her confirmation. "Okay.. but what does that have to do with the kiss? I thought-"

"You thought wrong, darling." To say the kiss was shocking would be an understatement. Her sweet endearment of calling him darling catches him off guard more than it should. She's called him darling hundreds of time, but this... this time seemed different. Special. And it grasped his immediate attention. Peggy takes a deep breath, an ominous silence filling the room before she speaks again.

"It took the words of a wise friend to help me realize what my heart truly wants" 

Just then Daniel is sure he's stopped breathing. Was this it? Was this the imminent goodbye he was dreading? But of course, Peggy Carter being Peggy Carter, surprises him again.

"And that's you, Daniel. I want you." Yep. He definitely stopped breathing. And Carter notices. "Daniel?"

For several long, torturous moments, he says noting. His mind filled with conflicted thoughts and emotions. Was he happy Peggy wanted him? Of course! He was over the moon. And yet he couldn't jump for joy.  Daniel knew he was no Steve Rogers, the two men didn't compare. How could Peggy want him when she could have a real superhero?

 Peggy observes the hesitation and asks if he was well. Both knew he was not. Its aback and forth, push and pull, until the damn breaks and the truth floods out. Peggy repeatedly asks him what was wrong and why he felt her words to not be entirely true, and what he replies next shakes her to her core. 

"Because, Peg, no girl would willingly trade in a red white and blue shield for an aluminum crutch. He's a hero, Peggy, and I'm..." He stops then, his voice cracking. Daniel's eyes meet hers and he flinches internally. "He's the hero and I'm just-"

"The best damn man I have ever met?" She cuts him off, grabbing his attention. "Daniel how could you possibly think I could ever trade anything? You and Steve are very different, but that is why I care for you both. But Steve... we were over before we started. We never had that chance. But you, Daniel, you are more than anything I have ever thought possible. What I felt for Steve is real, yes, and strong. But you... its more than you could ever imagine. 

The love I feel for you is no comparison for him! You are a hero, Daniel, more so than Rogers. You're kind, brave, you work and push yourself above standards, and never stop. You care for me even when I'm difficult. You accept me... flaws and all. You fought for your country and returned victorious. You came home having done your part in winning a war. If that doesn't make you a hero, then nothing will."

Peggy takes his hand in hers, gripping it with all her might. The crutch doesn't define him nor did the shield for Steve. She never loved him because of title but because of the man he is underneath. He asks then if Roger was is really back, and she confirms he is, but nothing happened between them. Nothing beyond what should have. Steve Rogers returned and had no where to turn, leaving him to stay in Peggy's guest room. Nothing more. At this Daniel sighs deeply, relieved and guilt filling him. and she takes his face in her hands before straddling him and kissing him breathless. 

What she had with Steve was important, yes, but they were never meant to be.

As a wise person once said, 'If you fall in love with a second person, choose the second. Because if you truly loved the first, you wouldn't have fallen for another.'

Peggy abides by this and knew it was as true as it could be. Even Steve knew this. He had started to move on as well, a woman named Natasha Romanoff. His comrade, his best friend, and soon to be more. But she died before he could tell her how he felt. 

Peggy couldn't let the same happen to her twice. She and Steve were over before they had started, and she couldn't let Daniel slip away. Not now. Not ever.